Mohair warp yarn and method of producing same



Jan. 15, 1935. w. s. NUTTER ET AL MOHAIR WARP YARN AND METHOD OFPRODUCING SAME Filed Jqne 8, 1933 \nvenTors. WiHium S. NuTLer CHFFordHoldsworth WMMJ'W Aflys.

Patented Jan. 15, 1935 Monam wear. YARN AND METHOD rnonvcmo SAME WilliamS. Nutter, Sanford, and Clifford Holdsworth, Springvale, Maine,asslgnors to Goodall Worsted Company. Sanford,-Maine, a corporation ofMaine Application June a, 1933, Serial No. 014,959

' 90laims. ((1117-52) This invention relates to anew construction ofyarn and to a new method of producing yarn whereb a mohair or similarfibre yarn equal or superior to yarns now in use for corresponding 5purposes'may be produced much more rapidly and I economically than suchyarns have heretofore been produced. While the yarn of this inventionmay beemployed for a wide varietyof purposes,

w it has marked advantages when employed as a 10 warp yarn andparticularly as the pile warp in the weaving of warp pile fabrics, such,for example, as' mohair plush or velvet.

While various systems are employed for spinning yam from cotton fibresand from mohair and 15, other animal fibres, there are well-known andmarkedly distinctive diflerences between the systems employedparticularly in the cost and speed e of operation as between the cottonspinning systems and the systems for spinning mohair and 20 animalfibres dueprimarily'to the characteristic diflerences in the fibresthemselves.

Cotton fibres are relatively short and hence it is impossible in thespinning operation to give the relatively long draft and tight twistcharacterizing the spinning of mohair and similar fibres as by theBradford or worsted systems. In cotton spinning, the required tightnessand twist is obtained both by the twist imparted in the spinning of-thesingle yarn and by the doubling and twisting of yarns of single countinto ply yarns. But owing to the nature of the fibre, the spinningoperations are performed far more rapidly and economically than in thecase of the spinningv operations in the spinning of mohair and otheranimal fibres.

, In the spinning of mohair yarn by the systems heretofore employed, thefiner the count'to' which the yarn is spun, ,the less is the proportionofthe fleece which can be utilizedand a point is reached at which theproportion of the fleece wasted becomes so great that the cost of theyarn becomesexcessive. J 7

One of the objects of the present invention is to utilize in thespinningof mohair yarn in part the principles heretofore employed in thespinning of cotton yarn, thus greatly increasing the rapidity with whichthe yarn may be produced and greatly reducing the cost of manufacture.-

In this invention the yarn .ispartially produced I by a spinningoperation involving the principles of cotton spinning and partially by aspinning operation involving the principles of the mohair or worstedspinning systems heretofore employed and with the entire elimination ofthe separate twisting operation heretofore employed with, the

result that the yarn produced isof the nature of a single yarn but ofthe'count of a corresponding ply yarn, of ample strength forthe requiredpurposes,

and of distinctive and superior characteristics as hereinafter setforth.

The drawing illustrates conventionally the yarn and certain steps in themethod of its production.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the single yam strand.

Fig 2 is a perspective view of the strand of mohair roving,

Fig. 3 is a perspective'view of the finished yarn,

It will be understood that it is impossible in a drawing to show theexact proportions, dimensions of the yarn and its component parts andthe exact arrangement, proportions and dimensions of the fibres in theyarn. The drawing therefore only serves to illustratein a general waythe construction and is entirely of a conventional nature.

In carrying out the invention, the minimum amount of cotton fibre isintroduced that is necessary to enablethe yarn to be produced partly bythe cotton spinning methods and hence far more rapidly and economicallythan heretofore. Moreover, the cotton fibre content is so located in thefinished yarn as not materially to detract from its appearance, feel andother characteristics as compared with the mohair yarn spun by theusual. processes.

In carrying out the invention, a single yarn strand represented byF'ig.1 is first spun on the regular cotton system from a roving composed of amixture of cotton fibres and mohair I posed of substantially equal partsof cotton and mohair fibres. In the broader aspect of the invention thenon-cotton content may be composed partially of wool orvother animalfibre but when .then'nohair is thus mixed with such other fibre,

the primary consideration is one of fibre cost.

In the production'of this single yarn strand, the mohair fibres shouldfirst be cut to substantially the same length as the stapleof the cottonfibres employed. This strand is spun not only rapidly and economically,due to the use of the methods employed incotton spinning, but thisstrand utiliz 2s a maximum amount of the mohair fleece because of therelatively short fibre length necessary to mix with the cotton fibre.

In carrying out the invention, the single yarn strand thus spun is nextdoubled with a strand of mohair roving represented by Fig. 2 and thenThe results are that the twist given by the spinning operation isimparted partially to the roving strand and that this strand is wrappedaround tion of fine wo'ol fibre. Itwill be recognized that' and causedto envelop the singleyarn strand in helical form. The mohair rovingstrand when it enters this spinning operation has, of course, only avery slight twist or only that necessary to hold the fibres together andconsequently a very-substantially less twist than in the single yarnstrand. At the conclusion of the spinning operation, the mohair strandtherefore envelops the single yarn strand in a helix of less turns perunit length than there are in the twist of the other strand.

The finished yarn represented by Fig. 3 has the appearance, feel andcharacteristics of a single mohair yarn with a minor proportion ofcotton fibre lying at the center.

In the production of the yarn, the weight per unit length of the twostrands: employed is preferably the same.

The roving strand in certain forms of ,the invention may be a mixture ofmohair and other suitable animal fibre. But in thiscase a further andimportant subsidiary feature of the invention resides in that thisroving strand is'preferably composed of a mixture in which there is amajor proportion of mohair fibre and a minor proporin the finished yarnof this invention there is very much less total twistinthe yarn and itscomponent strands as compared with a two-ply mohair yarn spun by themethods heretofore employed and that particularly there is much lesstwist in the enveloping strand imparted thereto by the final spinningoperation employed herein than in either component single yarn of acorresponding two-ply mohair yarn spun by the prethus employed to securethis result is readily determined depending upon the particularcharacter of the two fibres employed and the extent to which smoothnessin the finished yarn is required.

It will be recognized that with this invention 7 there has been noseparate twisting operation employed and that the yarn has been producedentirely by spinning operations. Thus the entire expense of twistingmachinery with the cost and time required for the twisting operation iseliminated. I

Furthermore, it will be recognized that the enveloping rovingstrand maybe spun down to a fine count with a minimum wastage of the mohaircontent because of the way in which it is spun in this invention. If,for example, :this strand were spun "as a single yarn on the worstedsystem or the methods hereofore employed, it

could only be spun to about half the count that 1 it can be spun as astrand of the yarn of this invention and still utilize without wastagethe same proportion of the mohair fleece. Putting it concretely, if theenveloping roving strand be spun as a single yarn on the worsted systemto, 1

say, a 16-count, only that portion of the mohair fleece could beutilized without wastage which would be utilized by spirming the samestrand to a 32-count as a part of the yarn of this invention.

While, as noted, the yarn of this invention may be used for a widevariety of purposes, it hasof the pile. Consequently there is anessential,

impairment of the desired smooth velvety appearance. With the yarnembodying the present invention employed in the manufacture of similargoods, when the pile loopsgare cut, the

twist, which, as heretofore pointed out, is very much less than in theprevious case, is practically entirely released down to the bottom ofthe pile so that a remarkably smooth velvety appearance is imparted tothe pile fabric. In fact it is found in practice possible to weave thefabric with a lower pile and consequently with "the utilization of alesser amount of yarn indhe case of yarn made in accordance with thepresent invention as compared with the yarns made by previous methodsand to obtain superior resuits.

Again it will be noted thatin the yarn of the" present invention thecotton content is introduced only to enable the utilization of thecotton spinning methods with the consequent great reduction in time andcost of manufacture. This cotton content lies at the center of the yarnand does not materiallyafiect the appearance, feel and characteristicsof the yarn as compared with a yarn containing no cotton content.This-is particularly noticeable in the case of the pile fabrics referredto because when the pile loops are cut, the ends of the cut pile arepractically entirely of mohair fibre. Due to the greater resiliency orspring of the mohair fibre, these fibres stand far above the cottonfibres which retract.

practically to the base of thepile. Hence in such a cut pile fabricwoven with the yarn of this in= vention, the appearance, feel andcharacteristics of the fabric are practically the same as those of anall-mohair out pile fabric and in addition a lesser amount of the yarnis required and the appearance of the fabric is markedly enhanced byreason of'the practically the twist in the pile. v

Having thus described the invention. what is complete release of 1. Themethod of forming yarn which consistsin forming a mixture of cotton andanimal fibres in which the animal fibres are wholly or partially mohairand in which the maximum length of all the fibres is the maximum lengthof the cotton fibres, forming a roving from the said mixture, spinning asingle yarn strand in the way in which cotton yarn is spun from the saidroving, forming a roving of animal fibres inwhich the animal fibres arewholly or partially of mohair, and in which the average length of thefibres is essentially greater than the average length of the fibres inthe first roving, doubling with the spun single yarn strand the secondstrand of roving, and spinning together the two strands without draftingthe spun single yarn strand while drafting the second roving strand tocause the latter to envelop the former.

2. A yarn composed of a twisted core strand of a mixture of cotton andanimal fibres in which the animal fibres are wholly or partially mohair,and in which the maximum length of all the fibres is the maximum lengthof the cotton fibres, and a twisted enveloping strand of animal fibresin which the animal fibres are Wholly or partially of mohair and inwhich the average length of the fibres is essentially greater than theaverage length of the fibres in the core strand, the enveloping strandhaving a markedly less twist than the core strand and enveloping thecore strand in a helix of less turns per unit length than in thetwist ofthe core strand.

3. A yarn composed of a twisted core strand of a mixture ofsubstantially equal amounts of cotton and animal fibres in which theanimal fibres are wholly or partially mohair, and in which the maximumlength of all the fibres is the maximum length of the cotton fibres, anda twisted enveloping strand of animal fibres in which the animal fibresare wholly or partially of mohair and in which the average length of thefibres is essentially greater than the average length of the fibres inthe core strand, the enveloping strand having a markedly less twist thanthe core strand and enveloping the core strand in a helix of less turnsper unit length than in the twist of the core strand.

4. A yarn composed of a twisted core strand of a mixture of cotton andanimal fibres in which the animal fibres are wholly or partially mohair,and in which the maximum length of all the fibres is the maximum lengthof the cotton fibres, and a twisted enveloping strand of a mixture ofmohair fibres and fine wool fibres, in which the wool fibres constitutethe minor component and in which the average length of the mohair fibresis essentially greater than the average length of the fibres in the corestrand, the enveloping strand having a markedly less twist than the corestrand and enveloping the core strand in a helix of less turns per unitlength than in the twist of the core strand and with the wool fibresenwrapping and holding in the enveloping strand the bulk of the ends ofthe mohair fibres of the said strand.

5. A yarn composed of a twisted core strand of a mixture ofsubstantially equal amounts of cotton and animal fibres in which theanimal fibres are wholly or partially mohair, and in which the maximumlength of all the fibres is the maximum length of the cotton fibres, anda twisted enveloping strand of a mixture of mohair fibres and fine woolfibres, in which the wool fibres constitute the minor component and inwhich the average length of themohair fibres is essentially greater thanthe average length of the fibres in the core strand, the envelopingstrand having a markedly less twist than the core strand and envelopingthe core strand in a helix of less turns per unit length than in thetwist of the core strand and with the wool fibres enwrapping and holdingin the enveloping strand the bulk of the ends of the mohair fibres ofthe said strand.

6. A yarn composed of a spun strand of a mixture of substantially equalamounts of cotton and animal fibres in which the animal fibres arewholly or partially mohair and in which the maximum length of all thefibres in the core strand is the maximum length of the cotton fibres,and an enveloping strand of roving of animal fibres in which the animalfibres are wholly or partially mohair and in which the average length ofthe fibres in the enveloping strand is essentially greater than theaverage length of the fibres in the core strand, the core strand lyingin an unextended condition in the yarn and the enveloping strand lyingin a slightly twisted condition and in a helix about the core strand.

7. A yarn composed of a twisted core strand of a mixture ofsubstantially 50% of cotton fibres and 50% mohair or mohair and woolfibres and in which the maximum length of all the fibres is the maximumlength of the cotton fibres, and a twisted enveloping strand of mohairfibres having an average length essentially greater than the averagelength of the fibres in the core strand, the enveloping strand having amarkedly less t'wist than the core strand'and enveloping the core strandin a helix of less turns per unit length than in the twist of the corestrand.

8. A yarn composed of a twisted core strand of a mixture ofsubstantially 50% of cotton fibres and 50% mohair or mohair and woolfibres and in which the maximum length of all the fibres is the maximumlength of the cotton fibres, and a twisted enveloping strand of amixture of mohair fibres and fine wool fibres, in which the wool fibresconstitute the minor component and in which the average length of themohair fibres is essentially greater than the average length of thefibres in the core strand, the enveloping strand having a markedly lesstwist than the core strand andienveloping the core strand in a helix ofless turns per unit length than in the twist of the core strand and withthe wool fibres enwrapping and holding in the enveloping strand the bulkof the ends of the mohair fibres of the said strand.

9. A yarn composed of a twisted core strand of a mixture ofsubstantially equal amounts of cotton fibres and mohair fibres in whichthe cotton and mohair fibres are of substantially the same length, and atwisted enveloping strand of a mixture of mohair fibres and fine woolfibres, in which the wool fibres constitute the minor component andinwhich the average length of the mohair fibres is essentially greaterthan the average length of the fibres in the core strand, the envelopingstrand having a markedly less twist than the core strand and envelopingthe core strand in a helix of less turns per unit length than in thetwist of the core strand and with the wool fibres enwrapping and holdingin the enveloping strand the bulk of the ends of the mohair fibres ofthe said strand.

WILLIAM S. NU'I'IER. CLIFFORD HOLDSWORTH,

